Where does “unwield” come from?
unwield (English) comes from English wield, from Middle English wẹ̄lden, from Old English wealdan, from Germanic *waldan, from Proto-Germanic waldaną, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.
Ancestry of “unwield”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | wield | To command, rule over; to possess or own; To... |
| 2 | Middle English | wẹ̄lden | — |
| 3 | Old English | wealdan | to control; to wield; to rule |
| 4 | Germanic | *waldan | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | waldaną | to rule |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | waldʰ- | to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess |